A Beautiful Nightmare (Leon Kennedy x OC) [BOOK 1]

Chapter 18: Checkmate

Leon stopped in his tracks as he rounded the corner, spotting the grenade now cradled in my palm. His eyes lit up like I was holding the holy grail.

"Now that's what I'm talking about," Leon said, beaming I rose to my feet and slipped the grenade into the largest of my vest pockets. 

"I guess grave robbing isn't always bad," I joked as we turned back to the room and began moving back the way we'd come.

"Didn't think I'd be hearing that on my first day," Leon said with a small shake of his head.

We rode the lift back down into the garbage room, both our nerves on fire as we slowly made our way back out to the ledge overlooking the sewer. The thick air enveloped us again, but I was too focused on the water's surface to notice. Small waves lapped at the cement ledge, swaying into  the muddy islands and trash piles scattered throughout. 

Nothing stared back, or at least nothing that we could see, but that thing was somewhere down here. Hiding.

I looked to Leon, exchanging the same reserved look. We have to move.

Leon nodded, breaking our eye contact as he began to slowly lower himself into the water. I moved to follow, pressing my free hand against my pocket, ensuring the rook was still securely inside. We both tried to make as little noise as possible as we fully stepped into the Lion's den.

Leon slowly made his way for the tunnel, and I followed behind at a slower pace. I knew these boots needed replacing, I just hadn't had time to go out an get a new pair. The worn soles did little against the sludgy floor, making it so every step had to be firm and deliberate. The last thing I want to do it fall into this water and alert the creature we'd returned. 

Leon had reached the fork in the tunnel before he turned, surprise flashing in his eyes as he noticed how behind I actually was. He looked like we was about to back track, but I held up a hand to tell him to stop.  His brows dropped, hand going to his weapon like he was ready to pull it free at a second's notice if needed.

I continued forward, focusing on the placement of my feet and ignoring the worry printed in my own warped reflection. That worry turned to panic as a gushing, wet noise vibrated though the tunnel. My head shot up, eyes darting around the room as I tired to locate the source of the sound. Something scraping against metal? there was a slight echo to it, like it was nearby and closing in. Leon began to step back toward me just as the sound came again, right from one of the large open drain pipes set in the wall. 

Water sputtered for a second before a surplus of trash spilled from the open pipe to my right, like something big was forcing it out. I took a step back, and barely concealed the whimper from my throat as the creature pushed itself through the pipe, slimy skin allowing it to slip easily from the pipe back into the water just a few feet in front of me. 

I won't make it back to the ledge in time, and the beast is blocking my way forward, leaving me shit out of options. I scrambled, hooking my fingers into the muddy island to my side. The mud greedily swallowed my hand, giving me minimal hold as I attempted to pull my knee up. The mud swallowed my knee as I scrambled for any leverage.

"MYKIE!" Leon yelled, water splashing like he was fighting his way back this way. 

Before I could yell for him to stay back, something tightened around my waist  and I was forcefully yanked backwards. My fingers raked through the mud, leaving thick channels in my wake as I tried to hook onto anything. 

The grip around my waist tightened, and heaved me into the air and away from the mud. My hands went to the force around my waist, finding slimy, wet skin there. I was moved through the air until I was face to face with the huge monster.